State college system negotiations near agreement

The deadlocked negotiations over a contract for faculty at Kutztown and the 13 other state-owned universities apparently have started to move in a positive direction.

Following negotiations Friday and Saturday, PASSHE and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, which represents about 5,500 faculty members at the 14 universities, have agreed to a framework for a new contract.

"Essentially, we are in agreement but it's not final yet," Kenn Marshall, media relations manager for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, said in a phone interview Sunday.

According to APSCUF's website, the general framework largely mirrors the agreements reached by Gov. Tom Corbett and other statewide unions.

PASSHE and APSCUF have been negotiating since July 2011, when the previous contract expired. Then last fall, APSCUF voted to authorize a strike.

"The possibility of a strike is the No. 1 topic of conversation among students," Kutztown University sophomore Ashley Fries of Allentown told the Reading Eagle in November.

But it looks like a strike won't be happening, Matt Santos, Kutztown University spokesman, said Sunday.

"The reason for the strike was in the event they could not come to an agreement on a contract," Santos said. "The fact that they've taken this step is very positive."

Marshall agreed that with the way negotiations are heading, a faculty strike at any of PASSHE'S universities is unlikely.

PASSHE and APSCUF would not release details on contract issues. APSCUF is deferring a public statement until the negotiations committee votes on the proposal tonight.

"They have told us nothing," said Dr. Daniel Spiegel, spokesman for the union's Kutztown chapter. "It drives me crazy that they spent two full days negotiating and our union was willing to negotiate two years ago."

Spiegel said he wishes the faculty union had used the strike option earlier.

"PASSHE'S strategy has been to stall us and disrespect us in the hope to eventually wear us out," he said.

Reportedly, PASSHE and APSCUF previously agreed on wage increases based on the state-employee contracts, but issues such as health care, class sizes and distance learning have been sticking points.

The union said the system was making unreasonable demands for concessions on health coverage and other issues. School officials said concessions are necessary to ensure affordable, quality education.

About 115,000 students are enrolled in PASSHE's 14 universities, which are also in Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.

Dr. F. Javier Cevallos, Kutztown University president, said in a message to students last week that the university is prepared if professors go on strike.

(Reading Eagle reporter Ron Devlin and the Associated Press contributed to this report.)